Systems and methods for controlling spooling of linear material

• US 7,688,010 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Great Stuff, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Great Stuff, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Michael J., Koebler, Martin, Caamano, Ramon Anthony, Tracey, James B. A.
• Primary Examiner(s): IP, SHIK LUEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US12/356,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20090121066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 318/16, 318/266, 318/466, 318/468, 400/223, 400/225, 337/35, 738/624.1, 226/44, 226/41
• US Class Current: 318/16
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/33 Hollow or hose-like material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/34 electric cords or electric power cables
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/403 Carriage with wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4436 Arrangements for yieldably braking the reel or the material for moderating speed of winding or unwinding
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4471 Housing enclosing the reel
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4484 Electronic arrangements or adaptations for controlling the winding or unwinding process, e.g. with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4486 Electric motors

Abstract

Preferred embodiments of the invention comprise an automatic reel capable assisting a user when attempting to unspool a linear material, such as a water hose. The automatic reel includes a control system having a motor controller capable of sensing a pulling of, or increased tension of, the linear material and capable of causing a motor to rotate to unspool the linear material. In certain embodiments, the motor controller tracks the length of the unspooled portion of the linear material and/or reduces the spooling speed of the motor when retracting a terminal portion of the linear material.

Claims

1. An automatic reel for facilitating the spooling of linear material, the automatic reel comprising:

a rotatable member configured to wind a linear material as the rotatable member rotates in a first direction, the rotatable member being further configured to deploy the linear material as the rotatable member rotates in a second direction; and

a motor controller configured to control a motor, the motor configured to interact with the rotatable member, the motor controller configured to control the motor in response to a sensor configured to sense a tension of the linear material, the motor controller configured to selectively control a rotational velocity of the rotatable member in the first direction or in the second direction;

wherein the sensor is configured to sense the tension of the linear material by monitoring a motor signal indicative of the tension of the linear material; and

wherein the motor controller is configured to cause the motor to cease rotation of the rotatable member in the first direction when the motor signal monitored by the sensor indicates that the tension of the linear material exceeds a predetermined threshold.

2. The automatic reel of claim 1, wherein the motor controller is configured to cause the motor to cease rotation of the rotatable member in the first direction when the motor signal is indicative of a substantial increase in a current supplied to the motor.

3. The automatic reel of claim 1, wherein the motor controller is configured to cause the motor to cease rotation of the rotatable member in the first direction when the motor draws a current above a particular current threshold.

4. The automatic reel of claim 2, wherein the sensor comprises a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) device.

5. The automatic reel of claim 1, wherein the motor controller is further configured to cause the motor to rotate the rotatable member in the second direction to deploy the linear material when the tension of the linear material exceeds the predetermined threshold.

6. The automatic reel of claim 1, wherein the motor signal comprises a reverse electromagnetic force (EMF) signal associated with the motor.

7. The automatic reel of claim 6, wherein the sensor comprises a transistor.

8. The automatic reel of claim 1, wherein the motor controller comprises a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

21. The reel of claim 1, wherein the reel comprises a hose reel, and the linear material comprises hose.

9. A method for spooling linear material, the method comprising:

winding a linear material around a rotatable member by rotating the rotatable member in a first direction;

sensing a tension of the linear material by monitoring a motor signal of a motor controlling said winding of the rotatable member, the motor signal indicative of the tension of the linear material; and

causing the motor to suspend rotation of the rotatable member in the first direction when the motor signal indicates that the tension of the linear material exceeds a certain amount.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said causing comprises causing the motor to suspend rotation of the rotatable member when the motor signal indicates that a current drawn by the motor exceeds a threshold amount.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said causing occurs only after the current exceeds the threshold amount for a threshold duration.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the threshold duration is approximately two seconds.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising, after said causing, rotating the rotatable member in a second direction opposite the first direction to deploy the linear material.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said monitoring the motor signal further comprises detecting a reverse electromagnetic force (EMF) signal associated with the motor.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising decreasing a rotational velocity of the rotatable member in the first direction while winding a terminal portion of the linear material.

16. The method of claim 15, additionally comprising:

monitoring a number of rotations of the motor; and

identifying from the number of rotations of the motor the terminal portion of the linear material.

17. A reel for automatically spooling a linear material, the reel comprising:

means for spooling a linear material by rotating in a first direction;

means for interacting with said means for spooling to control rotation of said means for spooling; and

means for controlling the means for interacting, in response to a means for sensing a tension of the linear material, the means for controlling configured to selectively control a rotational velocity of the means for spooling in the first direction or in a second direction;

wherein the means for sensing monitors a motor signal of said means for interacting, said means for sensing being further configured to output a control signal to said means for controlling for causing said means for interacting to suspend rotation of said means for spooling in the first direction when the motor signal indicates that the tension of the linear material exceeds a certain amount.

18. The reel of claim 17, wherein said means for sensing outputs the control signal to said means for controlling when the motor signal indicates that a current drawn by said means for interacting exceeds a threshold amount.

19. The reel of claim 18, wherein said means for sensing outputs the control signal to said means for controlling only after the current drawn by said means for interacting exceeds the threshold amount for at least two seconds.

20. The reel of claim 17, wherein said means for sensing is configured to output a control signal to said means for interacting to rotate said means for spooling in the second direction when the motor signal indicates that the tension of the linear material exceeds the certain amount.